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After what has seemed like an eternity, OWL is finally available on vinyl. As we have yet to get our hands on any copies, we can only tantalize you with this snap shot of the disc grabbed from Hydro-Phonic’s facebook page, but rest assured that the full package will be well worth the wait. Limited to 250 copies on black wax, the vinyl edition features John Trimmer‘s artwork hand-screened in gold ink on black sleeves, with design and layout by yours truly. Get ‘em now over at Hydro-Phonic Records!

Finally, after dragging our feet for various reasons I won’t go into, we are ready to release the follow up to our self-titled record – a self-titled EP! We’ve been playing these songs forever, and it feels good to finally get the recordings out into the world properly. For the sake of avoiding confusion we’re referring to it as Owl EP, well, because of the giant owl on the cover. We’re unveiling a track a day, and then the thing will be available on a free / donation basis for a limited time. Yesterday’s track was “Tears of Blood“; today you can listen to “Edge of the Sea” in all of its streaming glory.

We’re happy to be working with Hydro-Phonic Records again on a forthcoming vinyl release, and with Tor Johnson Records digitally. We’ll also be doing a limited CD-R and cassette run ourselves, which will be available for pre-order on the bandcamp page. The EP was recorded by Summoner guitarist AJ Peters and mastered by James Plotkin, with artwork by John Trimmer.

It pains us to learn that Doommantia.com founder Ed Barnard is facing eviction from his home due to crippling medical debt from a recent heart attack. Ed was a big supporter of us from early on (writing the first substantial review of our S/T album as well as publishing our first interview), and to help him out we are donating all of the proceeds from our web store over the next week (ending August 29). We’ve added a few vinyls to the store for the occasion, so have a look around, treat yourself to something rad and help a brother out in the process. Donations can also be made to Ed directly at www.doommantia.com.

The long awaited vinyl version of our debut LP is finally available! The vinyl release features a whole new re-mix and mastering job, plus new artwork. Order here!

“As you know, here at HPRX we are always looking for creative ways to present a new release. After talking to the band and learning a bit about them, I challenged my team of helpers and advisors to come up with something special for this release. We think the choices made represent the band and their social, economic and environmental views. The cover is made of 18pt recycled chipboard. Completely hand made from the folding and gluing, to the screen printing (by Phil M. and myself). The ink is made of an environmentally safe, non-toxic, vegetable base that is rated safe for children’s toy manufacturing. Even the record insert is printed on recycled paper! The custom made brown vinyl looks amazing and all the scraps from the pressing were reclaimed and mixed with a recycled green vinyl to create our forest green looking wax. As far as we know this is indeed the “greenest” vinyl record release ever! Trying to find a creative twist on printing the cover, as we always do with the hand-made releases, we decided to print the cover with a reversed opening. Trying a few options, this was the most interesting to me. Probably because of my obsession with the Melvins and how the past few years they themselves have been releasing “backwards” covers for all their releases…cover on back, song titles on front! We also choose along with the band to not have any writing, text, logos or anything but artwork on the cover. So you can actually choose what side you want the front to be. In the end, this is by far one of my favorite HPRX covers…. everyone an amazing piece of art to be treasured!”

We’re really excited to get these in our hands! Hydro-Phonic is currently taking pre-orders, which will ship the first week of June. Choose from forest green (limited to 100 copies) and brown (200 copies). Cover feature green and brown foliage to match the record color. Pre-order now!

It’s been long time coming, but the vinyl edition of our Self-Titled LP is due out in late May/early June via Hydro-Phonic Records. Not only will it feature awesome new artwork by John Trimmer, but the subtle differences from the original CD version make the LP a whole new listening experience that is closer to our original vision for the album. We got a chance to listen to the test press during our stay in Grand Rapids, MI, and I can honestly say that it’s the best I’ve ever heard this record sound. We also had the pleasure of hearing the new Sons of Tonatiuh LP before it drops, and it fucking slays!

In other news, our new EP (which came with us on tour in the form of a limited edition cassette) will see release this summer via Magnetic Eye Records, as a split LP with Mexico City’s Akuma. More info to come.

So we recently came off the heels of a little jaunt into the Midwest, rattling skulls and blowing of all our hard earned cash on records. Rochester, NY’s Needle Drop and Bloomington, IN’s Landlocked Records are worth mentioning for some good finds and reasonable prices. After a fun little last minute gig in Scotia, NY with Yoma we headed off to Oberlin College to play at their campus bar, The Sco. They had a nice selection of craft brews in the fridge – and a few on tap – all of which were free for these guys. I’ll say this, those Oberlin kids know how to headbang! I should also mention that the campus is quite gorgeous and features some sick architecture.

Fast forward to our Bloomington show at The Gourley Hole (on Gourley St), a place that takes the basement show experience to a whole other level. Located in what at least feels to us city kids like out in the woods, the space is adorned with posters from past shows. A lot of care has been put into making it feel like a “venue” – the makeshift bar, background music between bans (it’s wired to play through the whole house) and the super rad wall of TVs at the back of the room, where obscure sci-fi and horror films provide enhanced atmosphere for the bands that play. Oh – and that “Gideon’s Holy Muff” piece in our previous post – that’s where it came from. Definitely a very cool and unique spot.

In Columbus, Carabar treated us well with half price Kentucky Bourbon Ale and a phenomenal falafel quesadilla (the one and only time I’ve ever seen such a thing). The most unusual show of this tour was probably in Pittsburgh (I’ve read that Fugazi played in college dorm rooms on some our their early tours, and this wasn’t too far off), but it was kind of cool playing an attic bedroom. It’s always fun to see another two-piece that isn’t doing the stoner/sludge/doom thing, and these guys rocked the fuck out! (the band I’m talking about is US, and sorry folks, no recordings to link to). Also, Pittsburgh is kind of a gorgeous city.

Somehow the best was reserved for last, because the show at the Alamo in New Brunswick, NJ was absolutely fucking killer! Although the place doesn’t have much of a stoner/sludge scene, it seemed to work in our favor as the metal-heads came out in full force for the slow, heavy jams. We got to play with some sick bands – including Alamo residents Eternal Fuzz and the brutal-as-fuck Pharaoh – and more importantly, in front of a packed room of totally rad folks. Our set was filmed, so hopefully some video will surface soon. And oh yeah, kittens.

Once more, we want to thank our friend Justin over at Oberlin College for making this tour possible. Can’t wait to do it again!